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Illegal Voting Gets Texas Woman 8 Years in Prison, and Certain Deportation

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E

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
Kai Dracon said:
Ironically enough, especially considering she supports republicans, I tend to believe the story that she didn't understand voting eligibility requirements and was not attempting premeditated fraud.
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It's been a while since I registered, but I'm pretty sure it asks you on the form if you're both a US Citizen and if you're 18 or over.

So either she lied and said she's a citizen and got in the books, or she was honest and said that she wasn't and got in the books anyway and decided to run with it.
 
B

Blader

Member
There is, however, at least one flaw in that story: Ms. Ortega was a registered Republican.

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”
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Goddamn, now THAT is voting against your own interests.
 
B

Blackhead

Redarse
ChryZ said:
Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?
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From the article:

The punishment was strikingly harsh for an offense that usually merits far less jail time, if any. A second fraudulent ballot case in metropolitan Fort Worth ended in 2015 with probation...

Ms. Ortega's case is unusual not just for its harshness but for its circumstances. Many fraud convictions that draw prison sentences — and some that do not — involve clear efforts to influence election results. Texas prosecutors won prison sentences for four men who moved into a hotel in 2010 to claim residency so they could sway a local election. A woman in Brownsville, Tex., was placed on five years'probation for casting five absentee ballots under different names in elections in 2012...
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And
Evening Musuko said:
It's been a while since I registered, but I'm pretty sure it asks you on the form if you're both a US Citizen and if you're 18 or over.

So either she lied and said she's a citizen and got in the books, or she was honest and said that she wasn't and got in the books anyway and decided to run with it.
Click to expand...
From the article

Ms. Ortega, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, came to Texas with her mother when she was an infant. More than a decade later, the family was scattered after the mother was arrested and deported. Two brothers born in Dallas automatically gained citizenship; Ms. Ortega became a permanent resident and gained a green card, her brother Tony Ortega, 35, said in an interview.

As a Dallas County resident, she registered to vote and later cast ballots in elections in 2012 and 2014, her lawyer, Mr. Birdsall, said. While that was illegal, there was no attempt to break the law, he maintained: Some government forms allow applicants to declare that they are permanent residents, but the voting registration form asks only whether an applicant is a citizen.

Lacking the permanent resident option, he said, she ticked the ”citizen" box. When the county later mailed her a registration card, he said, she believed she ”was good to go."

Ms. Ortega moved to neighboring Tarrant County and again registered, but this time checked a box affirming that she was not a citizen. When her application was rejected in March 2015, the trial showed, she called election officials and told them that she had previously voted in Dallas County without difficulty.

Told that she could not vote unless she was a citizen, she asked for another application, and returned it with a check in the box affirming citizenship. That raised questions, and law enforcement officials arrested her on fraud charges...
Click to expand...
 
K

Kai Dracon

Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
Evening Musuko said:
It's been a while since I registered, but I'm pretty sure it asks you on the form if you're both a US Citizen and if you're 18 or over.

So either she lied and said she's a citizen and got in the books, or she was honest and said that she wasn't and got in the books anyway and decided to run with it.
Click to expand...

Edit: with the new information, it seems the claim is that she was genuinely confused. I don't know; in this case there doesn't seem to be much of a motive for fraud, like trying to vote in a different state, or as an undocumented immigrant.
 
K

Killthee

helped a brotha out on multiple separate occasions!
Skyzard said:
8 years. And she voted republican. Just imagine.
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8 years + deportation. Gonna miss out on her kids growing up and then will likely be shipped off to another country after serving her sentence.

00texas_web2-master768.jpg
 
Pagusas

Pagusas

Elden Member
and here is the problem with the "Didnt know better" idea:

Ms. Ortega moved to neighboring Tarrant County and again registered, but this time checked a box affirming that she was not a citizen. When her application was rejected in March 2015, the trial showed, she called election officials and told them that she had previously voted in Dallas County without difficulty.

Told that she could not vote unless she was a citizen, she asked for another application, and returned it with a check in the box affirming citizenship. That raised questions, and law enforcement officials arrested her on fraud charges..
Click to expand...

She was told and then willingly checked the box to allow her self to vote after being told no.


Still bullshit regarding the jail time.
 
E

electroshockwave

Member
Pagusas said:
and here is the problem with the "Didnt know better" idea:



She was told and then willingly checked the box to allow her self to vote after being told no.


Still bullshit regarding the jail time.
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I could still see that as just being confused. Why tick no for citizenship in the first place if she knew what she was doing?
 
B

BobLoblaw

Banned
8 years is way too much, even for another Republican scam artist. I kid. Sucks for her family, but she did willfully lie about her citizenship. I guess thems the breaks for brown people accused of voter fraud.
 
R

rjinaz

Member
Ms. Ortega, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, came to Texas with her mother when she was an infant. More than a decade later, the family was scattered after the mother was arrested and deported. Two brothers born in Dallas automatically gained citizenship; Ms. Ortega became a permanent resident and gained a green card, her brother Tony Ortega, 35, said in an interview.

As a Dallas County resident, she registered to vote and later cast ballots in elections in 2012 and 2014, her lawyer, Mr. Birdsall, said. While that was illegal, there was no attempt to break the law, he maintained: Some government forms allow applicants to declare that they are permanent residents, but the voting registration form asks only whether an applicant is a citizen.

Lacking the permanent resident option, he said, she ticked the ”citizen" box. When the county later mailed her a registration card, he said, she believed she ”was good to go."

Ms. Ortega moved to neighboring Tarrant County and again registered, but this time checked a box affirming that she was not a citizen. When her application was rejected in March 2015, the trial showed, she called election officials and told them that she had previously voted in Dallas County without difficulty.

Told that she could not vote unless she was a citizen, she asked for another application, and returned it with a check in the box affirming citizenship. That raised questions, and law enforcement officials arrested her on fraud charges...
Click to expand...

This story just continues to make me more sad. I feel like she just really wanted to vote. Maybe in her mind it was the most American thing she could do. It's s shame she let her determination in this overrule her better judgement. 8 fucking years and deportation. Fuck. I don't care who she voted for. It's ugly.
 
F

FyreWulff

Member
Two Words said:
Even if you think 8 years is too much, how can you not see illegal voting as a serious offense?
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Illegal voting is at most, a civil offense that has such a low impact... It earns probation at best. As it has in all other cases.

Meanwhile, people are getting mere months for raping someone.

Jail should be used for dangerous persons.
 
W

Werd

Member
So she called election officials essentially admitting she had voted illegally in two elections, had nothing come of it but then still lied on the next form she was sent.

I sympathize for someone that voting is clearly very important for, but really asking to get her case looked into there. Sentence is obscene though.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton," Mr. Birdsall said. ”And guess what? He's the one responsible for prosecuting her."
Click to expand...

I was waiting for this part.
 
P

parrotbeak

Member
Pagusas said:
and here is the problem with the "Didnt know better" idea:

She was told and then willingly checked the box to allow her self to vote after being told no.

Still bullshit regarding the jail time.
Click to expand...
That still sounds to me like it is possibly someone who doesn't understand the distinction between "resident alien" and "citizen" in terms of voting rights. If the first time was a mistake and no one corrected her, I can see believing that for voting purposes she was supposed to be considered a citizen. When you've been granted the right to do something for years, I can see it taking some time and thought to decide that was somehow a mistake and you shouldn't have had that right all those years.
 
O

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
I definitely agree that 8 years and deportation is way overkill.

On the other hand, she's a Republican so I won't be losing much sleep over it.
 
C

Cormano

Member
Well, she fucked up, its pretty well know that Green card holders can't vote, saying that she didnt know its just a lame excuse.
 
K

King Tubby

Member
Derwind said:
Nah, this is all sorts of BS. I don't care whom she voted for, I may not agree with her politically but damn is the punishment waaaaaaaaay out of the range for the crime committed.
Click to expand...

This is what she wanted. This is the country she wanted to live in.

She got it.
 
G

Goose_Se7en

Banned
Skyzard said:
You slimey piece of shit, Sharon.
Click to expand...

Fuck that Sharon bitch. This lady broke the law yes, she deserved punishment yes but not 8 years. Not 8 years behind bars missing out on her life and not being able to watch her kids grow up. That's just not right.

And to all the folks saying "serves her right because she voted GOP" like wtf? You are the problem. Folks like you on both the left and right are the problem.


Case in point:

The Adder said:
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

And before anyone says it: Why should I feel bad for her? This is exactly what she voted for. She got what she wanted. If anything, I should be happy for her. Unless, of course, she voted for the tough on crime, heavy sentencing, fuck immigrants party because she thought it would only affect OTHER brown people. Or, you know, the blacks. If that's the case then no, I don't feel happy for her. But I would straight up laugh in her face.
Click to expand...

Foh with this post.
 
P

parrotbeak

Member
kruis said:
I'd say eight years in prison would destroy a normal person's life. Deportation is nothing compared to that.
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They are both pretty life altering. One takes you out of society for a while but otherwise takes care of your basic needs, and one permanently removes you from the society you've been accustomed to and you have to start over in an unfamiliar world, possibly without any social support. I'd rather not have to choose which is worse.

I do have sympathy for people who have not had educational opportunities or access to information. There are people who don't get to go to school, don't have internet, don't have a clue about politics beyond what they've heard growing up.
 
T

The Adder

Banned
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

And before anyone says it: Why should I feel bad for her? This is exactly what she voted for. She got what she wanted. If anything, I should be happy for her. Unless, of course, she voted for the tough on crime, heavy sentencing, fuck immigrants party because she thought it would only affect OTHER brown people. Or, you know, the blacks. If that's the case then no, I don't feel happy for her. But I would straight up laugh in her face.
 
K

King Tubby

Member
Goose_Se7en said:
Fuck that Sharon bitch. This lady broke the law yes, she deserved punishment yes but not 8 years. Not 8 years behind bars missing out on her life and not being able to watch her kids grow up. That's just not right.
Click to expand...

I feel bad for her kids, and I feel even worse for the people affected by her decisions. Not for her. If she just did it to herself, she'd have my pity. She did it to all of us. Fuck her.
 
R

rjinaz

Member
The Adder said:
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

And before anyone says it: Why should I feel bad for her? This is exactly what she voted for. She got what she wanted. If anything, I should be happy for her. Unless, of course, she voted for the tough on crime, heavy sentencing, fuck immigrants party because she thought it would only affect OTHER brown people. Or, you know, the blacks. If that's the case then no, I don't feel happy for her. But I would straight up laugh in her face.
Click to expand...

It actually saddens me how legal immigrants seem to have so much disdain for illegal immigrants. I mean surely they realize that not everybody has the same opportunities and that some people are poor and starving in Mexico and they are just looking for a better life? I mean this woman seemed so determined to stick it to them that she got herself thrown in jail over it. I mean yes I'm presuming her motives, but still.
 
O

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
Goose_Se7en said:
Fuck that Sharon bitch. This lady broke the law yes, she deserved punishment yes but not 8 years. Not 8 years behind bars missing out on her life and not being able to watch her kids grow up. That's just not right.

And to all the folks saying "serves her right because she voted GOP" like wtf? You are the problem. Folks like you on both the left and right are the problem.


Case in point:



Foh with this post.
Click to expand...

I don't see the problem? I mean, I think most of us agree that she should be given a lighter sentence. But when you vote for the guy who said he would make peoples lives so miserable that they would willingly go back to Mexico, you can't be surprised when people from his party decide to do something like this to you.
 
T

The Adder

Banned
Link said:
Funny how anyone actually found doing this is a Republican.

Party of projection.
Click to expand...

Pretty easy explanation.

Dems believe the emperical evidence. Either because they're intelligent enough to research or because it favors their world view. They believe voted fraud is rare, so don't risk trying.

Republicans believe what their party is telling them. Again, because it favors their world view that they're the true majority. So if those nasty libs can get away with it, why can't they?

And every time a Republican voters gets caught it just reinforces the idea that liberals are getting away with it.
 
Enosh

Enosh

Member
voting is one the few ways citizen can have their voices heard, illegals voting is shitting all over that, they aren't citizens and they don't deserve a voice in how the country is to be run just because they crossed a line, it's an insult to democracy and to every legal citizen

8 years is too much through, she should be deported much sooner
 
Z

Zaventem

Member
I don't understand these people, the syrian lady voting for trump getting her family deported back, this woman voting when she's not a citizen....
 
G

Goose_Se7en

Banned
rjinaz said:
It actually saddens me how legal immigrants seem to have so much disdain for illegal immigrants. I mean surely they realize that not everybody has the same opportunities and that some people are poor and starving in Mexico and they are just looking for a better life? I mean this woman seemed so determined to stick it to them that she got herself thrown in jail over it. I mean yes I'm presuming her motives, but still.
Click to expand...

Yes you are presuming her motives but you aren't wrong. There is a mentality not just among immigrants but I think in general of a "hey I got mine so fuck you" I respect it but it doesn't make any less wrong or fucked up.
 
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